Cleveland Arena

Last updated
Cleveland Arena
Cleveland Arena
Location3717 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio, 44115
United States
Coordinates 41°30′14″N81°39′40″W / 41.50389°N 81.66111°W / 41.50389; -81.66111
Capacity 11,000 (basketball)
9,900 (hockey)
Construction
Opened1937;87 years ago (1937)
Closed1974;50 years ago (1974)
Demolished1977;47 years ago (1977)
Construction cost$1.5 million ($31.8 million in 2023 dollars [1] )
Tenants
Cleveland Barons (AHL) (1937–1973)
Cleveland White Horses (NBL) (1938–1939)
Cleveland Rebels (BAA) (1946–1947)
Cincinnati Royals (NBA) (1966–1970)
Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA) (1970–1974)
Cleveland Crusaders (WHA) (1972–1974)

Cleveland Arena was an arena in Cleveland, Ohio. It was built and privately financed by local businessman Albert C. Sutphin during the height of the Great Depression in 1937 as a playing site for Sutphin's AHL team, the Cleveland Barons. The arena was at 3717 Euclid Avenue, and seated over 10,000 in the stands and over 12,500 for events such as boxing, where floor seating was available. [2]

In addition to the Barons, the arena was home to the Cleveland Rebels of the Basketball Association of America, also owned by Sutphin, for the 1946–47 season.

Cleveland Arena was also a regular concert and boxing venue, and six-day bicycle races were held there between 1939 and 1958, moved there from Public Hall. [3] On March 21, 1952, it was the site of the Moondog Coronation Ball, considered the first rock and roll concert, organized by Alan Freed. The concert was shut down after the first song by fire authorities due to overcrowding. It was estimated 20,000 people were in the arena or trying to enter it, when the capacity was roughly half that. [4]

In 1968, the arena and the Barons were purchased by Nick Mileti. In 1970, the expansion Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA moved into the arena and played there for their first four seasons, from 1970 to 1974. After the Cavaliers began playing at the arena, it stopped hosting games for the Cincinnati Royals of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Royals, who also played home games at other Ohio sites, played more than 35 games at the arena between 1966 and 1970. [5]

The Cleveland Crusaders of the new World Hockey Association played at the arena from 1972 to 1974. [6]

The arena also had a medical facility, Arena Clinic. It primarily provided medical care for visiting athletic teams and other entertainment events, but also served as a walk-in clinic for the community. Its sign can be seen in photographs of the arena. [7]

While the arena was a showpiece when it opened, by the 1970s it had become decrepit. It also lacked adequate parking. It closed in 1974, with teams moving to the Richfield Coliseum. The arena was demolished in 1977; [2] the headquarters of the Cleveland Chapter of the American Red Cross now occupies the site. [8]

The arena was the last major sporting facility to open within Cleveland's borders prior to 1994, when Jacobs Field, now Progressive Field, opened for Major League Baseball's (MLB) Cleveland Indians. Later that year, the Cavaliers moved back into Cleveland when they opened the adjacent Gund Arena, now Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

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References

  1. ↑ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–" . Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  2. 1 2 George Condon (1995). "Chapter 7, Sutphin's Surprise". The Man in the Arena: The Life and Times of A.C. Sutphin. The A.C. Sutphin Foundation. pp. 51–67. ISBN   0-9649900-1-6.
  3. ↑ "PublishOhio" . Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  4. ↑ "The Moondog Coronation Ball is history's first rock concert". History Channel. February 24, 2010. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  5. ↑ "1966–67 Cincinnati Royals Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  6. ↑ "Cleveland Arena". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Case Western Reserve University . Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  7. ↑ "Encyclopedia of Cleveland History".
  8. ↑ "Lost Cleveland: Rock 'n' roll landmarks that made music history". Cleveland.com. April 15, 2015. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
Preceded by
first arena
 Home of the
Cleveland Cavaliers
1970 – 1974		Succeeded by
Preceded by
first arena
 Home of the
Cleveland Crusaders
1972 – 1974		Succeeded by
Richfield Coliseum
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